Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, lies about 50 km north of Johannesburg. The population of about one million people consists of students, government workers, embassy staff and new families who have moved to Pretoria - a city that has become attractive to many because of its cosmopolitan spirit and wonderful accommodation venues.

It is quite easy for the visitor to find his or her way through the city, which is laid out like a chessboard. Pretoria lies at a level of 1367 m above sea level, and is surrounded by protecting mountains. The climate is subtropical with hot, wet summers and relatively mild, dry winters.

The best time for a visit to the Jacaranda City is in Spring, when more than 70,000 Jacaranda trees are in full bloom. Then the whole town is one big purple-coloured and sweet-smelling sea of blossoms. The exotic trees were imported from South America some 100 years ago.

The city of Pretoria (Tshwane) developed at a more sedate pace than Johannesburg, and the town planners had the foresight to include an abundance of open spaces. Pretoria has more than 100 parks, including bird sanctuaries and nature reserves.

Large numbers of Voortrekkers arrived in the region in the 1850s, and an air of history pervades much of central Pretoria, especially Church Square, around which the city has grown. The square was the site of the first church, the first markets and the first shops.

Progress has brought to Pretoria high-tech shopping centres, museums, art galleries and multi-culinary restaurants. The city has four universities and a number of scientific institutes, including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute, both internationally renowned. Within easy reach, day walks provide a relaxing introduction to the region's natural habitats, many inhabited by indigenous animals and birds.